Aeroplane-control bridge.



H. KLECKLER.

AEROPLANE CONTROL BRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I8, 1911.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

8140014 601 H ENEY KLECKLEE.

- UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HENRY KLECKLER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR CURTISS AEROPLANE AND MOTOR CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AEROPLANE-CONTROL BRIDGE.

I To all whom z'tmay' concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY KLECKLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and usethe cable lead uides supported by them tend to hold the ca le leads taut. Moreover, the arrangement of the bridge pieces is such that the cable drum shaft is effectually journaled in bearings mounted upon .the respective bridge pieces preferably equidistantly spaced from the upper cable lead guides.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the control bridge, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

.The'control bridge I have-designated as an entiretyby the numeral 10. It is constructed of spaced parallel bridge pieces 11-11 of substantially inverted U'-form arranged with the bight portion of the bridge uppermost so that the operator may be ac- .corded ample space between the legs of the bridge. Metal cross bra es 12- -12, 13-13,

1 1 -14 and 15-15 interconnect the bridge pieces at points hereinafter pointed out. The cross braces 12-12 are of tubular form and interconnect said bridge pieces respectively adjacent the ends of the bight thereof.

The cross braces 13 are disposed intermediate the ends of the legs of the bridge and exactly midway between the cross braces 14-14 and 15-15 which are located respectively above and below. That portion of each cross brace 13 intermediate the bridge pieces 11 is enlarged .as at 16 to afford an appropriate mounting for a shaft 17 The shaft 17 carries a guide pulley 18, the axis of rotation OfWllich is offset from the plane of the axis of oscillation of the control bridge although parallel therewith. The guides 18, of which there are two (one guide supportedby each Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1919.

Application filed July 18, 1917. Serial No. 181,288.

leg of the bridge upon the inside thereof) serve as cable lead guides. Their disposition out of axial alinement with the bridge axis is such that the cable leads may extend out from the bridge in the plane of said axis to obviate slack through bridge manipulation. T runnions 19 extend out oppositely from shown) suitably supported interiorly of the body of the craft in conn'ectionwith which the bridge is used. These trunnions mount the bridge for suitable oscillation, preferably fore and aft.' The mounting ofthe cross braces 1414= and 1515 respectively above and below the trunnions 19 is such that the legs of the bridge are effectually intermediately braced and suitable anchorages for the elevator. control leads, designated 20, provided. Through this arrangement, fore and aft oscillation of the bridge will impart to the elevator'flaps- (not shown) the desired vertical movement.

The location of the cross braces 12-12 adjacent the ends of the bight portion of the bridge is such that guides 2121 supported by them operate between the bridge pieces and about axes which extend at substantially right angles to the axes of the guides 18. The cross braces 12-12 are of approprlate form to function as guide or pulley shafts. Intermediately the bight portion of the bridge is equipped with bearings 22--22 mounted upon the bridge pieces (one bearing upon each pie"e) in alined relation. The cable drum shaft 23 is journaled in. said bearings 22 and extended forwardly beyond said bearthe cross braces 13 to engage in bearings (not ings to support upon its extended end the control wheel 24. The cable drum 25 is mounted on the shaft 23 between said bearings;

is such that the cable drum 25 and the guides 21 both operate between them. Each bridge piece also serves as a support for one of the bearings 22. Moreover, the constructionof'.

the cross braces in shaft form provides for the mounting of the guides 21 at the ends of the bight portion, between the bridge pieces and for rotation about axes extending parallel to the axis of the 'cable. drum.

By rotation of the control wheel 24: to either the right or left, the ailerons (not shown) are manipulated. Proper manipulation or control of the balancing surfaces is thus effected, aileron leads 26 being utilized The spacing of the bridge pieces 11-11 in this Connection. The leads 26 follow the lines of the bridge upwardly from the guides 18 to the guides 21 and thence inwardly toone to the other of the cross braces 12 so as to lie midway between the dissymmetrically arranged guides mounted thereon.

Aluminum tubing-is used preferably in constructing my improved bridge. The materials, however, used in-the bridge connection may be varied. Also, the shape of the bridge and the spacing of the bridge pieces may be modified considerably without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. The constructional idea, however,

and the guide and cable drum arrangement as herein proposed should be adhered to in so far as pra(tical that the advantages enumerated may be gained. Particularly is the utilization of cross braces for the dual purpose of mounting the guides and interconne'ting the bridge pieces believed to be new.

What is claimed is:

1. A control bridge for aeroplanes including spaced parallel bridge-pie es of substantially inverted U-form, the over-all length of the bridge pieces being substantially equal to the over-all length of the control bridge, connections between the bridgepie"es arranged respectively adjacent the ends of the bight portion of the bridge, a guide mounted upon each connection, bearings mounted upon therespective bridgepieces intermediate said connections, a shaft journaled in said bearing, a drum carried by said shaft, and cable lead 'conne"tions ar ranged to encircle said drum and to extend out right and left therefrom for engagement with said guides, the cable lead connections for the major part being confined to the space between the legs of the bridge.

2. A control bridge for aeroplanes includ ing spaced parallel tubular bridge-pieces of substantially U=form, shaft conne tions between the bridge-pieces arranged respectively adjacent the ends of the bight portion of the bridge, although remote from the ends of the bridge pieces, guides mounted respectlvely upon said connections between sald bridge-pieces, a cable drum supported bridge, and cable lead conne tions arranged to encircle said drum and to extend out right and left therefrom between the bridge-pieces for engagement with said guides, the control intermediately upon the bight portion of the lead connections again passing between the bridge pieces for continuation beyond the guides within the space definied by the legs of the bridge.-

3. A control bridge for aeroplanes includ ing spaced coextensive bridge pieces of substantially inverted U-form, connections between the bridge pieces arranged respecbetween the bridge pieces and in the other 7 instance between the legs of the bridge, a

cable drum mounted .intermediately of the bight portion of thebridge, and cable lead connections arranged to encircle said drum and to extend out right and left therefrom for engagement successively with the guides at opposite sides of the bridge.

4. A control bridge for aeroplanes include ing spaced coextensive bridge pieces of substantially inverted U-form, connections between the bridge pieces arranged respec tively adjacent the ends of the bight portions of the bridge, connections between'the bridge pieces arranged respectively intermediate the ends of the legs of the bridge, a

cable drum mounted intermediately upon the bight portion of the bridge, guides mounted upon the first mentioned connections with their axes extending parallel with the axis of the cable drum, guides mounted upon the second mentioned connections with their axes extending at right angles to the axis of said drum, and cable lead connections arranged to encircle said drum'and to extend out right and left therefrom for successive engagement with the guides mounted v at opposite sides of the bridge.

5. A control bridge for aeroplanes including spaced coextensive bridge-pieces of sub--' stantially inverted U-form, connections between the bridge-pieces arranged respectively adjacent the ends of the bight portion of the bridge and intermediate the legs thereof,

at right angles to each other, trunnions mounted upon the leg-supported connections to extend out from the bridge, a cable drum mounted intermediately upon the bight portion of the bridge, and cable lead connections arranged to enc rcle said drum and to .125

extend out right and left therefrom between the bridge-pieces for engagement successively with said guides.

6. A control bridge for aeroplanes including spaced parallel bridge-pieces of sub-' stantially. U-form', connections between the ides mounted upon said 001111602 'tions wit their axes extending respectively bridge-pieces arranged respectively adjacent the ends of the bight portion of the bridge and intermediate the extremities of the legs thereof, guides mounted between the bridge pieces upon the connections at the ends of said bight portion, guides mounted between the legs of the bridge upon the connections intermediate the ends thereof, the axes of the last mentioned guides extending at right angles to the axes of the former, trunnions mounted upon the leg-supported connections to extend out from the legs of the bridge at opposite sides thereof, a cable drum mounted intermediately upon said bight portion for operation between the bridge-pieces, and cable lead connections arranged to encircle said drum and to extend between said bridge-pieces for engagement successively with said guides.

7. A control-bridge for aeroplanes including spaced bridge-pieces of substantially inverted Uform, connections between the bridge-pieces arranged respectively intermediate the ends of the leg thereof, guides carried by said connections, and trunnions carried by said connections with their axes spaced from the axes of the guides a distance approximately equal to the radius thereof.

8. A control bridge for aeroplanes including bridge-pieces of substantlally inverted U-form, spaced connections between said bridge-pieces arranged, three upon each'leg of the bridge, a trunnion carried by the intermediately located connection of each leg, and anchorages for control leads carried respectively by any two of said connections of each leg as are equidistantlv spaced from said trunnions above and below. 7

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

HENRY KLECKLER. 

